Liege - Bastogne - Liege 2012

to be fair i lost the 6 points from J-Rod but thats about it. Could have gone iglinsky but i read the startlist wrong and ruled him out as i didnt realise he was riding...oops

I have to say Voeckler sort of rescued me a little. And was a decent shout by me to be fair. Its how I used the frank schleck credits (bu keeping him) that ultimately cost me as I could have essentially picked any rider....

2,3,16,19 for me. Can live with that and a bonus 5 points
Any idea on who came in last?

So 4/5 of my DS retired BUT...........FINALLY

I got last place Dennis Vanendert your not quite on your brothers level but you only scored 1 point less

Yes, if Oman and Qatar were stripped out, I'd be a few places higher as well. There's only 10 points between 19th and 24th at the mo. And it's not that far to the top 15. I've now completed a full year of Fantasy Cycling as I started during the Giro. So at least I've seen the races once now. Whether that will help or not I don't know.

Thank goodness for the last place pick ! That was god awful for me generally.

2nd place - unlucky! You're right, it must've been a tough one, I didn't think I'd done very well (3, 6, 16, 20) but I still moved up a few positions in all 3 leagues. This will be the first year I've ever followed the Giro properly, so not expecting miracles there - my modest aim will be top 300...

My team is now set in stone:

Samuel Sanchez
Sergio Luis Henao
Simon Gerrans
Alejandro Valverde
Petter Nordhaug
Xavier Florencio
Fabian Wegmann
Diego Ulissi
Michael Albasini

taking a chance with Sanchez instead of J-Rod or Gilbert.

Joaquin Rodriguez (KAT)

Vicenzo Nibali (LIQ)

Samuel Sanchez (EUS)

Sergio Luis Henao (SKY)

Remi Pauriol (FDJ)

Lars Petter Nordhaug (SKY)

Bert de Waele (LAN)

Staf Scheirlinckx (VWA)

Julien Simon (SAU)

any last minute withdrawals this am?

any last minute withdrawals this am?

Yep my man is Voeckler, pretty much said the rest of my team so will just list it in full

F Schleck
Voeckler
Vanendert
Gasparotto

Albasini
Nordhaug
Ulissi
Kreder
Florencio

As for others working others, I think its not the same as say someone needing to gain time over someone, its about timing your effort to the finish. Therefore its almost every man for himself between those there at the finish. So compared to other DS's I think Albasini still has a great chance of a top 10 if he is feeling good. Same with Ulissi and Nordhaug.

I don't know why I keep coming back to Dan Martin

It would seem then that we are all agreed......There are probably 100 riders that can realistically win this bloody race......Such a conundrum......Well I have put a rider in from each of the top in form teams,so Im confident of 5 points......
I just hope that Phil Gil has woke up with a really snotty nose and a sore head......

Thomas Voeckler (EUC)
Philippe Gilbert (BMC)
Damiano Cunego (LAM)
Enrico Gasparotto (AST)
Rinaldo Nocentini (ALM)
Arthur Vichot (FDJ)
Lars Petter Nordhaug (SKY)
Gregory Habeaux (VWA)
Oleg Chuzhda (VWA)

Now to pick my provisional Giro team.

You have just stole my comment about Giro team Wig

Back to what I was gonna say....Anton out already, crashed in the neutralized zone (broken collar bone I believe, good job he was not due to ride th Giro)

Igor Anton out with a broken collarbone already

What's happened? we've gone over to the Giro before the start of LBL. All my riders have been faded out!

Gilbert started but he is leaving a trail of snot behind him

don't worry, we're still playing LBL

Still feel like I'm the only one to go with Mollema - anyone else?

Gilbert, Mollema, Gasparotto and Valverde (still not sure why...)
N Sorensen, Ulissi, Nordhaug, Antomarchi, Pauriol

Looking forward to seeing who's in the break at halfway...

I took Mollema out in favour of Ten Dam

I already have my Giro team sorted, have had for about a week

riders
Philippe Gilbert (BMC)
Enrico Gasparotto (AST)
Vicenzo Nibali (LIQ)
Simon Gerrans (GRE)
Michael Albasini (GRE)
Stijn Neirynck (TSV) not riding and to swap = penalty points
Xavier Florencio (KAT)
Moreno Moser (LIQ)
Dirk Bellemakers (LAN)

Here's hoping for a few points

Full startlists not even up yet Gkam, Ive had idea's for while, 1 star rider ive known will be in my team for a good while anyway. Just actually now put a base team on the system.

Im expecting an influx of teams for Romandie tonight/tomorrow

I know the start list aint up, but i know that at least 7/9 of my team will be there.

Just saw this on Letour while looking for any breaks today

Quote:

A former double winner of Liege-Bastogne-Liege in 2006 and again in 2008, Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) would usually be one of the big favourites. But his lowkey performances in Amstel and Fleche have made him an outsider at best.
“The thing is I was ill before the Ardennes Classics, I had ‘flu,” Valverde told letour.fr. “I’m not in the form I’d like to be. But there are other races and other years.”
“I’ll try to do my best, but Liege is a race where there are no hiding places. My favourite for today? Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi). He might have missed out on Fleche, but he’ll be up there for sure."